


The Cold Stayed

by AlexTheShipper



Series: Fics in which Tony will not be pushed around [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angry Tony Stark, Civil War Team Iron Man, Frostbite, Gen, Hurt Tony Stark, News Media, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Politics, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Serious Injuries, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Unreliable Narrator, not team Cap friendly, villain wanda maximoff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:40:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23481106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexTheShipper/pseuds/AlexTheShipper
Summary: Tony came back from Siberia missing a lot, and with a new coldness settled into his heart. Good thing he caught his assault on camera.
Series: Fics in which Tony will not be pushed around [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1275221
Comments: 502
Kudos: 2376
Collections: Post-Civil War Media Fallout (Team Iron Man), Teamtonystark1, Tony defends himself





	1. Extra Extra Read All About It

There was a clatter as the shield fell to the ground. Tone was left staring at the shield that was supposed to protect and defend, the shield his father built, the shield that nearly killed him. He listened as their footsteps retreated, listened as they left him there.

According to protocol Mach 72 should be dispatched to his location, and would be arriving within a few hours. Which left a few hours for Tony to think.

“Steve Rogers.” He calls out to the empty hydra base. “You’re a lying bastard.”

He was angry, but he felt he had a right to be. He’d lost a lot over just a few days. He’d nearly lost his life, and still might. It was cold, so cold.

He lost a friend, or someone he thought was a friend. In an instant he’d lost Steve, a friend, a hero, a teammate. And, where Steve went his posse followed so Natasha, Clint, and Sam were gone as well.

Watching that video had felt like losing his parents all over again. The grief he thought he’d recovered from tearing through him like a hurricane as he watched his mother die. He mourned them for the second time as his teeth chattered and his lips turned blue.

There were more abstract things that he lost, a willingness to trust in the good of others the most obvious. If Captain America was a lying vicious two-faced prick, were people good? Were there real heroes? He should have lost his trust with Obie, but no, he held out hope, and now he was here.

He couldn’t feel his hands anymore.

He couldn’t feel his feet.

He couldn’t feel the pain anymore.

Mach 72 came, grabbed him from the cold ground and rushed him to Helen Cho. It wasn’t until later that he found out what else he lost.

The cold took three fingers from his left hand, and four toes.

Roger’s shield and the subsequent surgery on his chest removed the remains of his sternum, and once again his chest was filled with metal.

Somewhere, amidst all of that loss he lost something else. Something integral to who he was as a person. When he came back from Siberia he came back cold.

The cold took up residence in his heart, and shone through his eyes. It was biting and sharp, wrapping itself around his words.

That was not to say that he didn’t care anymore, although apathy loomed over him like a threat. When he woke up to find Rhodey sitting beside his bed, looking tired and scared. Peter pacing at the foot of the bed, all anxious energy. He felt it then, an echo of warmth, followed by a tidal wave of need. He needed to protect them, from Rogers, from the world.

“Peter,” Tony rasped out his throat ached. Peter and Rhodey both snapped their eyes to him. “You did good kid.” Tony said, and watched Peter relax as sleep pulled him back under.

The next time he woke up the room was dark, and Pepper was asleep next to him.

“Friday?” He whispered, not wanting to wake her.

“Yes boss?” Friday replied, and he could hear the happiness in his voice.

“I need you to recover and save all footage from Siberia.” He says, knowing that she won’t let him make rash decisions from his hospital room. “Then I want you to recover some older footage, specifically when Thor choked me right after Ultron was created. While you’re at it, add in any footage of the team dismissing my concerns about another alien attack, and any instance of Wanda using her powers on me or the others.”

“Of course, what would you like me to do with the compiled footage?” Friday asks, and Tony smiles darkly.

“We’re going to show the world their heroes.” Tony says, and he slips back into sleep.

By the time he get’s out of the hospital his plans have solidified. He holds a press release with the bandages still on, his face and body visibly bruised as he stands proudly. It’s easy enough to let just a bit of pain show through.

“I know you all have a lot of questions.” He says, holding up a hand to silence the mass of press in front of him. “I’m still recovering, and thank you all for coming today. I’m gonna try and give you all the information I have.”

“How did you get hurt?” Someone shouted, and Tony ignored them.

“Now after the events you’re all aware of involving an airport and some heroes turned fugitives I learned that James Barnes was most likely framed, and that Steve Rogers and James Barnes were going to confront a group of potentially 5 super soldiers, and the man with the code words to turn James Barnes into the winter soldier.”

There’re some murmurs of confusion running through the audience. Tony didn’t understand their logic either, so he wasn’t about to defend them.

“Upon realizing this I followed them to Siberia because despite our differences I didn’t want to see them dead.” Tony smiles sadly at the crowd.

“So, the Hydra Soldiers did this to you?” A CNN reporter asks. Tony shoots a glare her way.

“When I arrived the Hydra Soldiers had been killed by the man responsible for luring Rogers, Barnes, and myself to this location. The rest of the story is better told through video. Friday, cue the lights.” The lights dim, and the screen turns on.

“I will acknowledge that I threw the first punch, and I’m terribly sorry for that, and if either of the men in this video chose to press charges, they are welcome to do so.” He says, and then the video starts. Tony doesn’t watch it, doesn’t turn as he hears a motorcycle pull to a halt, doesn’t turn at the sound of Howard’s voice, doesn’t turn as metal clangs against metal.

After the tape stops the room is silent.

“I was left there for a few hours until one of my suits could pick me up.” Tony explains. “This is the result.” He waves a bandaged hand, the missing fingers obvious under the bandages. “This is not the first time I have been assaulted by a member of the Avengers, all videos are in your release packages, know that I intend to press charges on all of them should they deign to show their faces again. Now, I need to get some rest, thanks for your time.” He waves his hand and makes sure to show a slight stumble as he walks away from the podium, Pepper appearing to help him.

It’s the first nail in the Avengers coffin. It won’t be the last. 


	2. Today's Headlines

“Hey Steve, you’re gonna want to see this!” Clint calls, and Steve heads into the living room. It’s been a few weeks since Tony had driven them all into hiding here in Wakanda.

“…moments from now Tony Stark will be speaking for the first time in public since the Avengers Civil War.” The announcer was informing them, and Steve hated that name. The dramatization of the media was frankly ridiculous and uncalled for.

Of course, then Tony walked on stage, bandaged, and beat up.

“Shit, what happened to him?” Clint mumbles, whistling lowly. Steve isn’t sure, but he knows it wouldn’t have happened if Tony hadn’t decided to throw his team away.

“If we were there this never would have happened, he can’t be the Avengers without us.” Steve says aloud, speaking over the beginning of Tony’s announcements. He isn’t expecting what Tony does next, didn’t think Tony would ever be willing to share what happened.

“Steve, what is this?” Clint asks, when the screen changes to reveal a bunker in Siberia.

“We don’t need to watch this.” Steve protests, reaching for the remote, Clint easily jumps out of reach. He looks between the TV and Steve with suspicion.

“Shush.” His eyes are fixed on the screen, and Steve doesn’t know what to do. He knows what’s happening, knows Tony is showing up to help him, knows what Zemo showed him. He doesn’t watch the video; his memory is vivid enough.

“How long did you know?” Clint asks, and he isn’t looking at Steve. It’s like Clint can’t meet his eyes.

“I didn’t know it was Bucky, and it’s not his fault.” Steve defends, and Clint turns furious eyes on him. Steve can’t help it he takes a step back.

“How long did you know that Hydra was involved in the death of Tony’s parents?” He asks, taking a step towards Steve. “How long did you lie to him about it?” He takes another step and Steve takes a step back. “How long did you use his money to find Barnes knowing that he killed Tony’s parents?” He takes another step. “How long Rogers?”

“Two years.” Steve admits, and the look of pure disgust on Clint’s face is startling.

“Man, and here I was thinking you were a hero.” Clint shakes his head, taking a step back from Steve. “Turns out you aren’t even a halfway decent person.”

“What’s going on here?” Sam asks, looking between the two of them. Steve doesn’t know what to say.

“Ask Rogers, maybe he’ll tell the truth for once.” Clint says, behind them there’s a clip of Thor choking Tony playing on the TV. Steve remembers that moment. Remembers yelling at Tony even as it happened. Tempers were high though; it wasn’t Thor’s fault.

“Steve, what’s going on?” Sam asks. Steve glances between Clint and Sam.

“Clint and I were watching the news about the Civil War and he just flipped out at me.” Steve says. “Just because I defended Bucky.”

“Oh, that’s fucking rich you lying bastard!” Clint cries out, and he’s storming towards Steve. Sam blocks him.

“Clint, explain.” Sam demands, protecting Steve. At least Sam still understands.

“He found out that The Winter Soldier killed Tony’s parents 2 years ago, never told him, and then nearly killed the man for punching him after Tony found out about the lie.” Clint spits out, and that seems like an oversimplification if you ask Steve. “It’s all on film, he left Stark for dead in a hydra base in Siberia. Dude lost some fingers to frostbite from the look of it.”

“Steve, you left a man behind?” Sam asks, turning to Steve.

“He was trying to kill Bucky, it’s not his fault.” Steve defends, and he can’t understand why his teammates are turning on him.

“No, from the sound of it, it’s yours.” Sam comments, and there’s that same disgust.

“Sam, what have we done?” Clint asks, and neither of them seem interested in Steve’s answer.


	3. Scarlet or Blood Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short little chapter on Wanda

When Wanda saw the news about what Steve had done to Stark she was delighted. No wonder she liked Steve so much, the man was a godsend. 

Watching him smash his shield into Stark repeatedly, god it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. If only he'd taken off the man's head with the shield instead of leaving him there to be rescued. 

"Steve what the fuck is wrong with you?" Barton's voice can be heard down the hall and she heads towards the kitchen. 

"It's not my fault!" Steve defends, and even Wanda finds that hard to believe. Of course it's his fault, he did it. 

"You lied to him, you used him, and you nearly killed him, and then you left him there." Sam says and he sounds tired and frustrated. Wanda knows how to read a room. 

"What's going on?" She asks, going for confusion and innocence. She looks between the others. "Why's everyone fighting?" It works. 

"Wanda, it's just a misunderstanding you don't need to worry about it." Steve says, stepping towards her. 

"Misunderstanding you nearly killed a man!" Clint cries out, and she knows what she needs to do. She takes a step back away from Steve. 

"I don't understand." She says, shooting for scared. Acting was always her strong suit. 

"Don't listen to them Wanda I was just defending Bucky." Steve pleaded, taking another step towards her and it's clear he believes himself. Wanda saw the footage though, and he'd done so much more than defend Bucky. It was beautiful. 

"Wanda come over here." Sam says, as if he's worried Steve will hurt her. As if she'd let him. Still she rushes over to Sam's side let's him and Clint stand in front of her. 

"Wanda, please." He tries to step around them. 

"You're scaring me Steve." She lies, and suppresses a smirk as Clint turns to comfort her. 

"I won't let him hurt you Wanda." He promises, and it's almost laughable. As if any of them could hurt her, even Vision with the power of the mindstone stood no chance against her. 

"Thank you." She says instead. Every inch the sincere frightened child they think she is. Of course the TV is still on. 

"Breaking news, Wanda Maximoff ex-Avenger has been revealed to be a former Hydra operative." The news caster announces, and Wanda feels a spike of fear. 

"Why are they talking about that?" She asks, looking around the room. 

"During her time working for Hydra she tested her powers on many innocent individuals including prisoner of war James Buchanan Barnes. This footage is not for the faint hearted." Videos of her starts playing on screen a malicious smile on her face and red at her hands. 

"Well shit." She mumbles, that's her cover blown. 

"Wanda?" Clint asks, and Steve's face is turning red with fury. 

"You hurt Bucky?" His voice is practically a yell, and he steps towards her. 

"God is that all you care about?" She asks, and allows her annoyance to show through. "Bucky this, Bucky that no wonder the man went into cryo." She calls her power up to her finger tips. 

"Clint look out!" Sam shouts, but it's too late, a simple touch and the Archer hits the ground. He's screaming, nightmares of his past over whelming him. 

"Sorry Boys." She smiles, stepping forward. "Its been fun, really." Sam reaches for the knife block and she lets her power put holding him in place as she plunges him into a nightmare. 

"I can't believe you hurt him." Steve says. "I trusted you." Her power presses him into the wall as she walks forward. 

"I know, you're incredibly stupid." She says, and taps his temple locking him in a vision of his precious Bucky dying at his hands. "See you in hell Rogers." 

It had been fun, playing at being a hero, but word was out, and villain was always more her speed anyways. 


	4. Country over Honor

T’challa isn’t watching the news when it airs. He’s busy in a meeting. In fact, he had no idea what was coming until Okoye opened the door.

“My King we have a problem.” Okoye announces. “The witch is attacking.” T’challa has never regretted a decision more than he does in that moment.

“Aim to kill, she’s too powerful to try and contain.” T’challa decides, suiting up himself and stalking out into the hallway. It’s chaos, half of his people have red tinged eyes, and they’re on the offense.

“Yibambe!” Okoye calls, and the remaining dora form ranks around her, shields up.

“Kill her.” T’challa orders, and then he’s jumping into action headed straight for the witch.

“I can’t let you do that.” Wanda says, and suddenly he’s being slammed into the wall by an unknown force. “I’m leaving and you can’t stop me.” Red twists around her fingers, and T’challa’s own people are forced to clear a path for her.

He just needs to surprise her.

“No can do, King kitty.” She smiles and her eyes are blood red. “I can read your mind remember. God I’ve missed this.” She turns towards one of the Dora who was attempting to sneak up on her and taps their forehead causing the woman to crumple screaming to the ground.

“Hey bitch.” Shuri calls out, and T’challa feels a spike of fear. The witch is gonna kill his sister. “Catch.” She tosses something T’challa has never seen before at the witch, who bats it aside with a bit of magic.

“I’m not stupid.” The witch hisses, noticing too late that Shuri has fired something else at her.

“Maybe, but I’m smarter.” Shuri crows, and the witch goes down screaming. There’s a shimmering field around her that’s quickly filling with wisps of red as the witch struggles inside it. 

“What is that?” T’challa asks. Shuri glances at him.

“What did you think I was going to let dangerous criminals into our borders without a way to contain them?” She asks, clearly unimpressed with him. “That would be idiotic brother, and we both know that’s your job.”

The witch is still screaming inside the field, even as the red fades from T’challa’s people’s eyes.

“My king,” Okoye says. “What should we do with her.” T’challa doesn’t get a chance to answer.

“We giver her to Stark.” Shuri announces, and looks at her brother. “We give all of them to Stark.”

“I promised them sanctuary.” T’challa defends, it would go against honor to turn them over. Shuri turns on him, and there’s fury in her eyes.

“You should have thought of your people before you did that.” Shuri says, gesturing to those still picking themselves up off the ground. Not all of them are warriors, some are staff from the palace, civilians. “Since you did not you should think of them now instead of your honor.”

“Of course.” He turns to Okoye. “Please arrest Those in the west wing. Shuri’s right.”

“Duh.” Shuri rolls her eyes, and heads back into her lab leaving T’challa to help the injured. It hurts to see what his actions caused. To see the damage to his own people. He may hate politics, but you cannot run a country thinking only of your own personal honor.

Once the injured are seen to, Shuri working tirelessly to get everyone brought into the lab completely healed, he knocks on her door.

“You’re disappointed in me.” He says, slipping inside. She doesn’t answer. “You should be, I haven’t been the king I should be.” There’s a small snort. “Shuri, I’m asking you, and Nakia to become my advisors and to help me navigate world politics and my own recklessness.”

“I would be honored Brother.” She says, turning towards him. “You’re an idiot you know that?”

“Yeah.” T’challa agrees. “Now, how do I turn over the Avengers without causing harm to our reputation?” Shuri looks at him.

“You don’t it’s too late for that.” Shuri tells him. “You tell the truth, that you thought they deserved help after the inhumane treatment of the United States off shore prison, but after seeing the news you realized the error of your ways.” T’challa winces.

“What news?” He asks, and Shuri forces him to sit through every clip revealed about the Avengers. The violence is startling, but worse is the manipulation. Every clip of them hanging out features the entire group scorning Stark while demanding things from him.

“They’re terrible.” He mutters.

“You helped them.” Shuri points out, as if he wasn’t already feeling guilty enough about that.

“I still feel I owe a debt to Barnes.” He defends. “I acted without thinking when attacking him.” Shuri nods.

“You did, and you acted without thinking when you protected him.” She says simply, and he looks at her. He thought of all of this, making reparations to Barnes was the only good thing he’d done. “He may not have killed our dad, but he did kill Stark’s and who knows how many others.”

“He was brainwashed.” T’challa defends.

“He deserves a trial then, a fair one. You could have ensured he got one, but you didn’t have to shelter him in our borders.” She says, and she’s right. Of course, she is.

“How do we transport the witch?” He asks.

“Her magic should be turned back on her, eventually she’ll knock herself out trying to get out. Shouldn’t be too hard to move her then.” Shuri shrugs, and it’s clearly a dismissal. “Go find Nakia.”

He does. If Wakanda is going to enter the world stage they need an ambassador. Nakia is one of the few within Wakandan borders who understands and values the rest of the world.


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very short chapter to conclude this fic.

Tony doesn’t have to say the words, within minutes of his press conference there’s multiple news sites comparing the Avengers to an abusive relationship. Friday is only too happy to provide clips of each of them putting Tony down, disparaging him, and demanding resources.

“Tony?” Pepper asks, and there’s concern there.

“Yeah, Pep?” He shoots her a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. There’s still so much to do to ensure the public never forgives them, although once Steve Rogers get’s ahold of a camera Tony has the feeling, he’ll do most of the work himself.

“How are you? You put a lot of yourself out there.” She’s worried about him. It isn’t like him to be so open with the world, he’s never been the type to wear his trauma on his sleeve. Then again he feels like he lost a good chunk of himself in Siberia, at this point he just wants to make sure the good captain and his crew of bobble heads burn with him.

“I’m not great Pep.” He says, and it’s the most honest he’s been with her in a long time. “I think maybe I can get better though.”

“I know you can.” She says, and they sit there in silence each sitting on opposite ends of the couch and nursing a drink. Weirdly enough it’s the most comfortable he’s felt with her since they started dating.

It’s barely been an hour since his press conference when his phone rings.

“Who is it?” Tony asks, not moving from his seat on the couch. 

“Unknown, the number seems to originate from Wakanda though.” Friday explains. T’challa then.

“Put him through.” Tony says, waving towards one of Friday’s sensors. Instead of T’challa a woman he doesn’t recognize pops up on the screen. “Hello?”

“Hello, my name is Nakia.” She speaks with less of an accent than T’challa implying that she’s had more interaction with the outside world than the prince. Odd.

“Tony.” He replies, gesturing to himself. “Is this by any chance about King T’challa’s guest?” She doesn’t seem surprised that he knows the Rogues are there.

“We wanted to give you warning before we turned them over to the government. We talked about turning them over to you, but ultimately they are our responsibility now.” She explains, good he didn’t want to be within a hundred feet of them. “When the news got out the Witch attacked her own, and our people.”

“Not much of a surprise.” He said, “Were any of yours injured?” He won’t clean up their messes anymore, but no one deserves the witch’s attacks.

“We have taken care of our injured, do not worry yourself. This was just a courtesy call before the news breaks.” She explains. “Phulukisa kahle.”

The line cuts out, and he’s left to wonder how this all plays out. There are some things that are obvious. He won’t be giving any of them his lawyers or his funds.

“Are you going to testify against them?” Pepper asks, and that’s the hard question.

“I don’t think I have much of a choice.” He admits. “They’re dangerous, not just to me, but to innocent people. To everyone really.” Maybe the question isn’t that hard.

“It shouldn’t be your responsibility.” She says, and he can’t disagree. It shouldn’t.

“But it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phulukisa kahle meaning heal well in Zulu (according to google translate)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments moderated to prevent spam comments from team cap people, as this fic is clearly tagged.


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